The Monticello Billies were able to get their second win of the season on Thursday, December 8, holding off a fourth quarter comeback attempt by the Lakeside Beavers.
In the first contest of the night, the Monticello Junior Billies were defeated by the Junior Lakeside squad 33-24 with a depleted junior roster, with many of the Junior Billie players being absent due to responsibilities of being a part of the Monticello Junior Choir that was having a concert the same night as the scheduled basketball contest.
After the junior game was completed, the Monticello Billies took to the floor Taking an 11-6 advantage in the first quarter behind Quay Rhodes’ quarter leading six points.
Lakeside and Monticello would compete in a close second quarter of action, with Rhodes leading the Billies in scoring once more in the second quarter with five points as the Billies would outscore Lakeside 11-10 in the quarter to take a 22-16 lead at the break.
The Billies would add a little space between themselves and Lakeside in the third quarter, outscoring the Beavers 20-14 in the quarter behind Luke Jones’ eight points. At the conclusion of the quarter, Monticello would hold a 12-point, 42-30, lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Beavers would have their best scoring performance of the contest, outpacing Monticello 22-15, but the Billies were able to hold off the Beaver charge to take the five-point, 57-52, victory.
Leading the way for the Billies on the scoreboard was Quay Rhodes with 21 points followed by Luke Jones with 18. Tejon Tensley added eight, Jontavion Lambert with five, Jeremiah Daniels with four, and Jagger Hines rounding out the scoring with one point.
The Billies would lose their next contest at White Hall on Friday night and would fall at Dumas on Tuesday, December 13, 62-47.
The Billies are now 2-5 on the season and will travel the three mile distance to Drew Central High School on Friday, December 16, in the annual “Showdown in M-Town.”
The Drew Central Pirates have been in possession of the Showdown Trophy for the past several seasons, but Monticello will look to recapture the title on Friday night.
The Junior Lady Billies will get the “Showdown” started at 5 pm with the Lady Pirates and Lady Billies to follow, and the Pirates and Billies to close out the night.
The school that takes two of the three contests will be awarded the trophy to be displayed at their prospective school for the next year until the winner of the following year’s “Showdown.”
